Chapter 2

Ethan did not arrive at the hospital until the next afternoon.

His expression was calm, as if he had only come to visit a stranger.

He glanced at the door of the ward and asked, "Is he stable?"

I looked at him. "Do you think I should thank you for showing up?"

Ethan frowned. "I didn't come back to argue with you. Given the situation on the flight yesterday, I made the judgment I should have made."

I sneered. "What judgment?"

"Leaving the AED with Chloe's mother while my father was in danger? That's your judgment?"

"I told you. Mrs. Bennett has a heart condition too."

"But my father had already collapsed!"

My voice rose, and people nearby turned to look.

Ethan's expression darkened. "You're too emotional to communicate with right now."

I laughed coldly.

It was always like this.

Whenever he was in the wrong, somehow I became the unreasonable one. I was irrational. I was making a scene.

The doctor came out with a serious expression.

"The patient's condition is unstable. We recommend surgery. The family should decide as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the greater the risk."

I nodded at once. "Do it."

Ethan asked first, "How much will it cost?"

The doctor gave a number.

Ethan frowned. "Can't we try conservative treatment first?"

I snapped my head toward him, hardly believing what I had heard.

My father was hanging by a thread, and all Ethan cared about was money.

The doctor had clearly seen this kind of thing before. He only said, "The decision is up to the family, but the hospital recommends acting quickly."

After we left the office, I shook off Ethan's hand. "What do you mean by that?"

Ethan lowered his voice. "I'm thinking realistically for your family. At his age, surgery means a very expensive bill afterward."

I gave a cold laugh. "When you left the AED with Chloe's family and accompanied them to Hawaii, why didn't you talk about expensive bills?"

"That's not the same thing."

"To me, it is."

His face went completely cold. "Olivia, don't go too far."

Just then, the billing desk called again and said the deposit was insufficient.

I turned to handle it, but the staff told me the high-cost treatment had been temporarily put on hold by a family member.

I whipped around and looked at Ethan.

He looked uncomfortable, but forced himself to say, "I just think we shouldn't make an impulsive decision."

"What gives you the right to decide for my father?"

His voice cooled too. "I'm helping you make sure you don't regret it."

"Olivia, your mind is not clear right now. Spending money is easy. Who will bear the consequences?"

In that instant, my fists clenched.

"Consequences? Aren't the worst consequences the ones you caused?"

My mother finally could not take it anymore. She came over and shoved him away.

"Stay away from my daughter."

Ethan froze.

My mother's voice was hoarse. "My daughter married you. She did not marry you so you could join an outsider in bullying her."

Ethan opened his mouth. In the end, he only said, "Mom, you're all angry right now."

I ignored him and signed the forms to move the treatment forward.

By evening, Ethan sat on a bench, looking down at his phone. His expression was gentle.

I did not need to look to know who he was messaging.

A little later, he stood up and said to me, "I have something to do tonight. I need to go."

I stared at him. "What could be more important than my father's surgery?"

He paused, then said stiffly, "Chloe's mother was frightened. I'm going to check on her."

For a moment, I thought I had misheard. "My father is about to have surgery, and you're going to keep them company on vacation?"

Ethan frowned.

"They were frightened on the plane yesterday too. What's wrong with me comforting them? You're being impossible."

I nodded. "Right. I'm impossible. Get out. Don't appear in front of me again."

His face turned livid. He gave a cold laugh.

"Fine. You're tough now. When you calm down, don't regret this attitude."

Then he turned and left.

My mother looked at me, her eyes red, and said each word clearly.

"Olivia, I was wrong. All these years, I kept telling you to be understanding. He never deserved it."

"Even without that marriage certificate, you still have your parents and your brother. This is your home."

"If you want a divorce, then divorce him."